TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW
C O N T E N T S
No. 171/14 12.09.14
1.The occupation regime reacts to the EU Commission’s decision to bind the Turkish Cypriot affairs to the Regional Policies Directorate-General
2. CTP-BG’s “presidential candidate” to be decided from the ballot box; Siber seems to be the strongest candidate
3. Statements by Eroglu at the opening ceremony of “Agricyprus 2014” exhibitions; Pakistani firms will attend the fair for the first time
4. Kasif attends the CeBIT fair in Istanbul
5. Columnist says that 1,500-2,000 persons are granted the “citizenship” of the regime every year
6. Eroglu met with the new Commander of UNFICYP
7. Kerry to visit Turkey today; Turkey and the US intensify efforts for a coalition against ISIL
8. CHP to appeal to the Constitutional Court for the new Internet law
9. PKK widens ‘parallel structure' in southeastern Turkey by opening three own schools
1. The occupation regime reacts to the EU Commission’s decision to bind the Turkish Cypriot affairs to the Regional Policies Directorate-General
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (12.09.14) reports that the self-styled foreign affairs ministry of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus has alleged that the decision of the European Commission to bind the Task Force for the Turkish Cypriot community to the Directorate-General for Regional Policies, instead of the Directorate-General for the Enlargement, will not be in harmony with the “realities” in the island and at the same time it will make more difficult the work carried out together with the European Union (EU).
In a written statement issued yesterday, the “ministry” expressed its worry about the decision, adding that their expectation is for the EU to contribute in turning the bi-communal, bi-zonal structure which will emerge after the solution in Cyprus and the other “elements which protect the other balances on the island” into a part of the fundamental law of the Union so that they are legally permanent and in safety.
“However, with the recent development, our worries that the EU will not be able to preserve a neutral approach which will secure the expected contribution are increasing”, argues the statement alleging that such approach will not contribute in the solution negotiations held within the framework of the good offices mission of the UN Secretary-General.
“We preserve our expectation that the efforts towards the EU harmonizing the elements of the solution with its internal law and preparing the Turkish Cypriots for the EU, in the manner by which it was promised in the statement made by the President of the Council van Rompuy and the President of the Commission Barosso on behalf of the EU after the Joint Declaration of the leaders on 11 February 2014”, the statement says and alleges: “Within this framework, transferring the Task Force for the Turkish Cypriots from the Directorate-General for the Enlargement to the Directorate-General for the Regional Policies constitutes a contradiction with the current legal situation. This situation, which came up and serves the political concerns of the Greek Cypriot side instead of responding to the expectations of the Turkish Cypriots, should be reexamined”.
(I/Ts.)
2. CTP-BG’s “presidential candidate” to be decided from the ballot box; Siber seems to be the strongest candidate
According to illegal Bayrak television (11.09.14) the party assembly of the Republican Turkish Party -United Forces (CTP-BG) has taken a decision regarding the nomination of a candidate to run in the upcoming “presidential elections”.
In line with the party regulation, interested candidates will be able to submit their applications to the party on Monday the 15th of September.
An election within the party assembly will be held on the same day to determine the party’s “presidential candidate”.
The decision came after last night’s meeting of the CTP party assembly chaired by the CTP-BG leader, “prime minister” Ozkan Yorgancıoglu.
Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, CTP secretary general Kutlay Erk said that the CTP will determine its candidate through an application process.
He added that an election will be held on the same day to decide which of the applicants will run as the party’s candidate in next year’s “presidential election”.
Meanwhile, reporting on the issue, Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (12.09.14), invoking reliable sources writes that the “speaker” of the so-called assembly Sibel Siber will submit an application for candidacy and its seems to be the most strong candidate. However, the paper adds that “foreign minister” Ozdil Nami has not decided yet whether to submit a candidacy.
AK
3. Statements by Eroglu at the opening ceremony of “Agricyprus 2014” exhibitions; Pakistani firms will attend the fair for the first time
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (12.09.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu, in statements yesterday during the opening ceremony of the 8th milk products and business machines exhibition “AGRICYPRUS 2014” which is organized by the Unifex exhibition organization, referred, inter alia, to the Cyprus negotiation talks and said that the territory issue is one of the most important topics of the negotiations.
Stating that it is not possible to “break off the people” from their lands, Eroglu said that by claiming their “land” at the negotiation table they will be able to live in security and peace.
Referring to the water to be transferred from Turkey, Eroglu said that the water will be available to the market in a satisfied price and everyone as he said will be able to benefit from this.
Also speaking, the “director” of the Unifex fair organization Umit Erhan said that 10 firms from Pakistan are expected to attend the fair for the first time since the fair is taking place. He however, added that it was not possible for them to attend the opening ceremony due to the fact that their flight was delayed.
4. Kasif attends the CeBIT fair in Istanbul
According to illegal Bayrak television (11.09.14) the so-called minister of public works and communication Ahmet Kasif is in Istanbul to attend the opening of the CeBIT Bilisim Eurasia, International Trade Fair for Information and Technologies.
Kasif delivered a speech at the fair which will end on the 14th of September.
The “general manager of the Telecommunication department” Remzi Evran and the “private secretary of the ministry” Bora Akkus are accompanying Kasif during the visit.
5. Columnist says that 1,500-2,000 persons are granted the “citizenship” of the regime every year
Writing in Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (12.09.14), columnist Ercin Sahmaran reports that between 1,500-2,000 persons are granted the “citizenship” of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus every year. Under the title “Let the pie become bigger, not the population”, Sahmaran writes, inter alia, the following:
“The issue of the citizenship is the most discussed, debated and exploited issue of this country. The fundamental idea is the following: The population must increase, more people must be brought in the community so that there is both competitiveness and equality with the south [Translator’s note: By the ‘south’ the columnist means the government-controlled area of the Republic of Cyprus]. Moreover, let the wheels of the economy work better with more population, more people. Let economic growth to be achieved with a bigger acceleration. (…) Are more people not tantamount to more unemployment, more scarcity in the existing resources? The insufficiency of the country’s resources is there. What would the benefit be in dividing them further, further decreasing the existing pie? There is absolutely no need for this, if the state authority will not secure the minimum standard of living for the persons it will make its citizens. If you had a planned, strategic structure, you would first of all know your population. You would determine a road map according to your population, take steps and prepare a program. (…)”
Shamaran notes that speaking during his program on Ada television, the self-styled minister of interior, Teberruken Ulucay told him that they could not “unlimitedly” grant their “citizenship” and explained some amendments which they are preparing on the issue. Shamaran says that he examined the past years’ statistics and found out that according to the increase in the number of “voters” and the “citizenships”, an average increase of 1,500-2,000 “citizenships” is annually observed during the past decade, including the marriages. He writes that with the new amendments, those who “legally” work in the occupied area of Cyprus for eleven years will acquire the right to apply for “citizenship”.
(I/Ts.)
6. Eroglu met with the new Commander of UNFICYP
Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi (12.09.14) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu met yesterday at the so-called presidential palace with the new Commander of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus, Major General Kristin Lund.
According to the paper, Eroglu’s “undersecretary” Hasan Gungor and his “spokesman” Osman Ertug were also present at the meeting.
No statements were made before or after the meeting.
7. Kerry to visit Turkey today; Turkey and the US intensify efforts for a coalition against ISIL
Ankara Anatolia news agency (11.09.14) reported from Ankara that Turkey's Foreign Ministry has announced on Thursday that the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Turkey on Friday and Saturday.
Kerry's meetings will be held in Ankara where he is scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
"In these meetings, bilateral, regional and global issues on our joint agenda, as well as opportunities for further developing our relations and cooperation will be elaborated on," said the Ministry.
On Wednesday, Kerry discussed the ongoing Iraq, Syria and Gaza conflicts with King Abdullah of Jordan during a visit to the Jordanian capital Amman.
Meanwhile, on the issue, Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (12.09.14) reports that the talks between Turkey and the United States have intensified over the latter’s efforts to build an international coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), with Turkey set to contribute to the efforts.
(…)Kerry’s visit follows a key meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where 11 countries including Turkey discussed the potential formation of a coalition against ISIL in line with a strategy outlined by President Obama.
Both Cavusoglu and Kerry attended the meeting in Jeddah, where threats and risks in the Middle East have been elaborated by a number of Western and regional countries aiming to establish a team to “destroy the ISIL in Iraq and in Syria.”
Turkey has already made public its concerns about involvement, stressing particularly to its Western allies that it cannot be an active partner because it still has 49 hostages held captive by the extremist jihadists. Ankara has been holding security meetings almost every day to discuss what actions it can and cannot take against ISIL.
Turkey has said it will allow its NATO allies to use its bases and airspace for logistical and non-combat purposes, increase border security to stop the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq and Syria and continue its humanitarian assistance to those fleeing violence. Turkey is also expected to be able to contribute to intelligence sharing and political support for these efforts.
8. CHP to appeal to the Constitutional Court for the new Internet law
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (11.09.14) reported that the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) is planning to appeal to the Constitutional Court to annul the most recent amendment to the Internet law, which grants the Telecommunications Directorate (TİB) extensive powers over Internet use.
CHP Deputy Rıza Turmen in statements to the press on Wednesday said that the law seeks to increase the government's control over the use of Internet. He also said the CHP will take the law to the Constitutional Court for annulment. “We believe the court will annul the law,” he said, and signaled that the main opposition party will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) if the Constitutional Court does not annul the new Internet law.
(…)
9. PKK widens ‘parallel structure' in southeastern Turkey by opening three own schools
Turkish daily Today’s Zaman (11.09.14) reported that the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has recently strengthened its campaign for autonomy in the Southeast, is apparently seeking to extend its dominance in the region -- this time by opening schools that will offer education entirely in Kurdish.
On Wednesday, the Kurdish Language Association (Kurdi-Der) announced that three “Kurdish schools” have been opened in Diyarbakır, Sırnak and Hakkari provinces -- but without the approval of Turkish state authorities and despite a lack of legislation that would allow such a move. The association said the schools will offer education in the Kurmanci dialect of Kurdish. The schools are supported by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), a platform that brings together Kurdish nongovernmental organizations and the Education and Science Workers' Union (Egitim-Sen).
The DTK, heavily influenced by the terrorist PKK, described the schools as an alternative to schools that offer education in Turkish.
Kurdi-Der also called on Kurdish families in Turkey to boycott the schools (that teach only in Turkish), which will begin with the new academic year on September 15. The purpose behind the boycott, according to the association, is to draw people's attention to increased demands for education in their mother tongue.
Kurdi-Der President Sabahattin Gultekin, in a press conference he called in Diyarbakır on Wednesday, stated that Turkey has been pursuing a policy of assimilation for nearly a century. “The languages and cultures of many peoples in Turkey have been destroyed. However, the Kurdish people have been able to protect their language despite this [policy of assimilation]. It has been seen that the Kurdish people cannot be destroyed through war, exile or assimilation. [The existence of] the Kurdish people [are] no longer denied, but their right to education in their mother tongue, which lies beneath the decades-old Kurdish question, still remains a problem,” Gultekin stated.
In response to questions, Gutekin said the Kurdish schools have no ties with the Ministry of Education of Turkey. “This is a de facto initiative of the [Kurdish] people,” he noted, and confessed that the schools were opened in violation of Turkish law. “I wish there were laws to support these schools," he said.
----------------------------------------------------
TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION
http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio
